This will be my first journalism job with a small company, and it feels like a perfect fit.

I’d like to say this was a consciously planned move, but truthfully, it’s been more like Alice in Wonderland falling down a rabbit hole. Until Business Record Publisher Janette Larkin called to ask if I would like to meet to talk about the job, I can’t say that it was on my career goals list.

I’ve worked for some big media companies. Some really good ones: I was a Des Moines Register reporter and editor for more than 25 years before I shifted gears in 2008 to become the editor of Heart-Healthy Living magazine at Meredith Corp.

I operated a freelance writing business of my own, worked as a copy editor for McCormick Co. advertising agency in Johnston and most recently was the local editor for Urbandale.Patch.com - one of more than 850 hyperlocal news and community websites across the country that are owned and operated by AOL Inc.

I’ve played it safe, worked hard and, occasionally, played it smart. I’ve been blessed to have an interesting career, which got more interesting when I stopped planning it. As it turns out, life is better when you’re open to opportunity.

Not that I came to that conclusion because I’m all that wise. The truth is, life knocked my ideas about my career out of my head with a couple of two-by-four events in the past few years. I lost my husband of 28 years, Jim Kay, a fellow journalist who was a writer, producer and director for Iowa Public Television for 28 years. Then I lost my job and became one of far too many print journalism refugees. Those crises were great blessings, actually.

They forced me to look at what’s important to me: making a difference, making connections, having a community, and learning, always learning. Those goals are shared by this company, so it feels like a good fit here. I learned a tremendous amount being a cog in some excellent big companies, but I think it will be even better to make a difference in a small one.

I have have two grown children, Meagan, 26, and Evan, 19, and when I'm not working, I enjoy bicycling, hiking, dancing, gardening and Broadway musicals.